Environmental Management for Livelihood Improvement Bwaise Facility (EMLI) notes with concern the historical, new and emerging challenges Africa as a continent faces ever since Rio conference in 1992. Some of these challenges include the continent?s vulnerability to climate change, ecosystem and biodiversity loss, accelerating desertification, HIV/AIDS and Malaria, declining fish stocks, wide spread pollution, unregulated toxic chemicals and hazardous waste, poverty, immigration control, unemployment, energy and food crisis.
Furthermore, Africa water towers are drying up at a much more precedent rate for example the drying of Lake Chad, the erosion of the Nile Delta, the declining Lake Faguibine in the Niger River Basin and falling water levels in Lake Victoria and unreliability and predictability of African rains despite efforts to setup early warning systems.

Despites efforts to implement commitments from Rio in 1992, stem political momentum to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, the continents? efforts are still futile to realization of the level of development attained by other continents. In this retrospect, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) MUST reinvigorate the commitment of the global community to concentrate on leap-flogging Africa to a continent sustainably developed and equitably sharing the global space.

Governments should commit on the following so as to leap frog Africa to a sustainably developed continent;

African civil society including the Major groups be fully engaged in processes towards during and after Rio+20 through; regular inclusion in national delegations; recognizing rights of indigenous peoples; granting full access and participation during negotiations and establishing predictable financial mechanisms so as to enhance representation and participation

1. Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication

Ensure that green economies enhance human well being, narrows the gap between rich and poor, create decent green jobs
Ensure that actions and mechanisms to achieve a green economy do not increase social inequalities, exacerbate negative socio-economic environmental impacts such as monoculture and land grabbing BUT address structural limitations that always put women, youth and vulnerable groups at disadvantaged position
Ensure that National Development Plans be the driving policy instruments towards realizing a green economy baring in mind that this transition be sector specific such as through waste management, forestry, agriculture and tourism
The African 10-Year Framework of the Programme on Sustainable consumption and production be implemented and the necessary technical and financial support availed with a mechanism taking into consideration national action plans
Ensure that tariff, non-tariff barriers and market distortions are removed from least developed countries especially Sub-Saharan African countries trade in environmentally-sustainable goods and services
Provide access to energy especially renewable energy by ensuring that 35 percent of Africa?s rural population has access to energy by 2020
Establish a global mechanism building on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to regulate and protect oceans, seas and coastal zones and also reduce fishing pressure, restore productivity and prevent any form of pollution

2. Institutional framework for sustainable development

At global level, a clear coordinated framework of United Nations agencies be strengthened with the Commission on Sustainable development elevated to a status of a Council with decision making mandate whereas United Nations Environment Programme transformed into a specialized institution for the environment based in Nairobi, Kenya

An implementation mechanism be established with Long term, scaled up, new and additional, predictable and adequate funding, capacity building, technology development and transfer frameworks that will see more practical undertakings in the next 20 years with poverty eradication, youth employment and food security high on the agenda

A more precise, clear and actionable indicator framework for sustainable development be developed fully integrating systematic assessment and reporting on the main environmental and human dimensions challenges and constraints, building on and incorporating existing assessments such as Human Development Index
Promote sound management of chemicals and waste especially e-waste through availing the required technical and financial support so as to implement national and regional strategies on chemicals management
At Regional level, The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) be revitalized, implemented and monitored with actionable indicators so as to ensure effective vertical and horizontal linkages, as well as effectiveness implementation of NEPAD's Principles, Programme of Action, Priorities and desired Outcomes
Ensure full implementation of the right to access to environmental information, participation and justice enshrined in Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration

At National level, National Sustainable Development Councils/Forums be revived and further strengthened with the necessary financial and technical capacity so as to address the challenge of integrating economic, social and environmental pillars through ensuring multi-stakeholder engagement